Gods & Monsters is about what you think it is about in a very small way, but beyond that it really is a years long tale of two young children caught in the midst of a small town's ugly beliefs. It's a story of their strength and their bravery and their determination to not be like their parents. It's their journey into adulthood as their innocence is taken from them and they discover the truths of the world on their own. It's about companionship and hope and the unjust things that can weigh you down if you let them. The book follows Evie and Abel, children not meant to interact that ignore the rules and find friendship and love in one another.

"But something makes Abel Adams different."

I loved Evie for so many things, but particularly for her strength and acceptance. She faced everything with optimism and viewed everything from childlike eyes, even as she grew into an adult. Abel was a hard character to love, his past making him hard and angry, the love from Evie barely enough to light his way. Though their friendship and romance is sweet, the journey they take together is dark and fraught with hardships. Both children do not know the type of love they deserve and, though they find it in each other, it affects them when they are older. Both struggle with anger, with their desperate need to be together and the things they must do to actually succeed together. They grow up to fast, missing the things they shouldn't have to miss, but finding a way to do it together anyway. It was heartbreaking to read, so many scenes hurt me and felt so real, and so many scenes made me very angry too, but ultimately I just loved these two and loved what they found in each other.

"And then, when I've given you everything, I'll take. Whatever I want."

I deducted a star due to my need for more from Gods & Monsters, it just felt like something was missing especially with the lack of changing POV until the very end. I understood the reasoning, I absolutely felt the impact of the transition and why Saffron A. Kent went that route, but I think most of the gaps in the story stemmed from Abel. I wanted more of his story to be revealed, I wanted the recovery of their relationship to be detailed, I just...wanted more. I'm like Ariel from The Little Mermaid over here, haha. Additionally, I would have really appreciated timeline markers in Part I of the story, as the time moved quickly and it did take me a few pages into each chapter to realize that our main character had aged. That said, I did enjoy how the book was broken into parts and each had a very significant message and complex storyline that was unique to the characters and the story as it progressed.

"They say history repeats itself more often than not. There's poetry in nature. A symmetry."

Overall, Gods & Monsters was a fantastic read and I really found it to be a unique contemporary romance that readers will enjoy reading. Much of it was unexpected, yet relevant to many issues youth face today. As a coming-of-age story, it is very fitting of the times and I appreciated the introspective evaluations of self that each character went through. It's the sort of book where you can see something is coming and it's shocking when it does, but it also is the sort of book where you have to trust the characters, that they will do what's right and that the author, Saffron A. Kent, will do right by them too.

ARC provided. ( )

So many emotions. Everything seemed to factor into one commonality--The dichotomy of emotions. Two sides: emotions and logic both battling to see would be the victor in the ultimate goal which is Love. This book is the culmination to that. What would you do at age 12/14 and felt a connection that was bigger than anything you had zero experience in? This is what happened with Evie and Abel. It was as if they were two magnets and were drawn to each other. Despite this you knew that you needed to honor the magnetic pull no matter the cost? Could You do it? Even if you had been raised your entire life to be afraid of the monsters.?

It's not the monsters that need to feared but the words used to describe a person or to keep someone away that does more damage. Funny that it is the people in this little Christian town that are using their words like stones when in reality they should be more Christ like. After all, isn't that what Christ himself would have done rather than focus on the legacy of Abel and his parents especially since children are born innocent.

The story of Abel and Evie was a coming of age story that had so many dimensions to it. It was more than just two sweet kids that connected and grew up knowing that their love was unconditional and pure. There was nothing tainted about it other than the adults who condemned him on the actions of his parents. Yet, it goes further than that, It is a story that demands they find there faith. Where One believes God will protect and love them while the other hates God because he failed him and his parents, For Abel, the only thing he knows is that with his Pixie he only knows heaven in his heart. It is a good thing Evie believes enough for both of them.

This author did an exceptional job at story building. From the first chapter, you were given a portrayal of what this entire town and family was going to be like, especially Evie. She was the embodiment of pure and good, A great example of this was how five year old Evie would have dealt with the monsters under bed that her mother threatened her with, "Why would he care whats I ate? Was he hungry? Because if he was I would totally share... I would give him a piece of chocolate and tell him to stop trying to be scary." Add in young Abel who saw the world with jaded eyes until he saw his chance at not being a monster for the first time in his life.

This book is about passion, and love in every stage in this journey. From young love all the way to adults. It is the culmination of following a predetermined destiny by being the legends that someday would be handed down and told to future generations. When the love moved into adulthood, the author did a fantastic job depicting the scene with the perfect sensitivity and made it beautiful . Later moments of steam were a little more intense but still beautifully crafted. These two together are everything. They see each other with such clarity that they stay true to the love and connection that they have. No amount of hate spewed vitriol changes the connection of these dual flames.

It is unfathomable to me that this is only the third book that this author has written because she weaves a story with such ease and fluidity that it creeps into your soul and entwines into your very essence . It changes how you see things. Not everything is black and white. Sometimes in the case of emotions you need to let the logic go and follow your heart.

I cannot recommend this book enough. ( )

Holy feels! This book has three parts, and is so multilayered. I LOVE Evie and Abel. This book was Painful at times to read, because you knew what was coming. This book has pain, angst, love, sexy times, hate, bigotry, lust, and growing up. The characters were so multi dimensional, there was no lull in the story, and it kept you in it's grips. Told in Evie's POV. ( )